NEW JERSEY AT&T WORKERS WALK-OFF THE JOB Workers Launch 3-Day Strike After AT&T Refuses To Present Serious Proposals That Invest in Good Jobs 1st-Ever AT&T Strike Could Close Retail Stores This Weekend

By PRESS RELEASE, COMMUNICATION WORKERS OF AMERICA

May 19, 2017 at 9:56 PM

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Communications workers will strike in East Brunswick this weekend.Credits: www.cwaAction.org

NEW JERSEY: Today, AT&T workers who are members of Communications Workers of America (CWA) walked off the job in several locations throughout New Jersey. They are protesting AT&T’s failure to present serious proposals that invest in good jobs with a future. During the 3-day strike this weekend, a majority of AT&T wireless, wireline and DIRECTV workers fighting for their contracts are expected to be on strike.

1,000 of these workers live and work in New Jersey – including those in retail, tech and call centers.

Nationwide, the group includes wireless in workers in 36 states and DC; wireline workers in California, Nevada and Connecticut; DIRECTV technicians in California and Nevada, representing four different union contracts. This is the first time AT&T wireless workers have gone on strike, which could result in closed retail stores this weekend.

While the three-day strike may inconvenience customers in the short term, AT&T workers are committed to putting an end to unnecessary frustration and poor service because of AT&T’s lack of investment in its core business.

Workers are demanding AT&T commit to bargaining that addresses affordable benefits, fair wages and job security. Workers are also protesting AT&T’s pervasive off-shoring of jobs to low-wage contractors, which eliminate good jobs and hurt customer service.

A protest will take place at the following location:

· East Brunswick: 277 Route 18 South

Background:

After nearly four months of bargaining, AT&T wireless workers are striking to end AT&T’s assault on its employees and protect good jobs at America’s largest telecom company. Workers are fighting for wage increases that cover rising healthcare costs, basic job security, affordable healthcare, and a fair scheduling policy. Despite making over a $1 billion a month in profits, AT&T continues to squeeze customers and employees at a time when most Americans believe they are worse off financially than the generation before them.

Since 2011, AT&T has eliminated 12,000 call center jobs in the U.S., closing and downsizing call centers across the country. Rather than keeping those good-paying jobs here at home, AT&T has contracted with third party vendors operating in countries with low wages and weak labor protections. A recent report from CWA shed new light on AT&T’s sprawling web of 38 third-party call centers in eight countries that are driving low wages and compromising quality service for millions of AT&T customers.

In late March, 17,000 AT&T wireline workers in California and Nevada went on strike to protest the company’s changing of working conditions in violation of federal law. The strike ended when workers won an agreement with the company that it will no longer require employees to do work outside of their expertise and classification. Since a recent merger, 2,300 DIRECTV workers in California and Nevada have been in negotiations for their first contract since April 2016, and hundreds of workers at AT&T East who manage the 911 dispatch system for AT&T have also worked without a contract for over a year.

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